Here we should also look at priorities. PLCs can be highly productive but not effective. In other words your PLC can function in Quadrant 4 and have highly successful discussions on student performance using informative data assessments but still not be as effective as possible. The problem has to do with priorities. Each team needs to look at the expected benchmarks and outcomes for their grade level. For example if your team decides that the priorities are in order reading, math, writing, science, social studies; then your PLCs should spend the most time on analyzing reading assessments.
One common obstacle to effective PLCs is letting the assessment dictate the PLC agenda. For example just because you may have a monthly science assessment should not mean you will have a monthly science discussion at your PLC if your team has given science a low priority. If on the other hand reading is your highest priority then you may find you are spending every other PLC discussing reading. Your PLC priorities agenda should control what types of assessment you give to your students NOT availability of assessments.
For example if your team decides that the priorities are in order reading, math, writing, science, social studies; then your PLCs should spend the most time on analyzing reading assessments.
One common obstacle to effective PLCs is letting the assessment dictate the PLC agenda. For example just because you may have a monthly science assessment should not mean you will have a monthly science discussion at your PLC if your team has given science a low priority. If on the other hand reading is your highest priority then you may find you are spending every other PLC discussing reading. Your PLC priorities agenda should control what types of assessment you give to your students NOT availability of assessments.